Locking mechanism for desk drawers



May 29, 1956 M. J. AMBROSENO LOCKING MECHANISM FOR DESK DRAwERs Filed June 25, 1955 Lgij United States Patent() LQCKING MECHANISM FOR DESK DRAWERS Mario J. Ambrosino, River Forest, lll.

Application June 23, 1953, Serial No. 363,496

1 Claim. (Cl. S12-219) The present invention relates generally to locking mechanisms. More particularly the invention relates to that type of locking mechanism which is employed in connection with a conventional desk having an elevated centrally disposed lock-equipped main drawer and a Vertical series of side drawers at each side of the main drawer, serves releasably to lock all of the side drawers in their closed position and comprises a pair of vertically slidable lock bars which are disposed between the main drawer and the two series of side drawers, having coacting latch means between them and the side drawers and operate when shifted in one direction to lock the side drawers in their closed position and when shifted in the other direction to release the side drawers so that they may be selectively slid forwards into an open position.

In a desk drawer locking mechanism of the aforementioned character it is standard practice to employ springs for urging the vertically slidable lock bars into their side drawer releasing position and to provide means whereby the lock bars are automatically shifted against the force of the springs into their side drawer locking position when the lock-equipped main drawer is slid into its closed position. In practice it has been found that a locking mechanism of this type is subject to the objection that it is always necessary to slide the lock-equipped main drawer into its open position when it is desired to open any of the side drawers.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a desk drawer locking mechanism which is an improvement upon, and eliminates the objection to, a locking mechanism of standard or conventional construction and is characterized by the fact that it embodies simple and novel means whereby the lock bars are automatically shifted into their side drawer locking position when the lock on the elevated centrally disposed main drawer is shifted into its locked position and are automatically shifted into their side drawer releasing position when the lock on the main drawer is shifted into its unlocked'position. By employing such means it is unnecessary to open the main drawer as a preliminary to opening any of the side drawers. It is only necessary to unlock the main drawer in order to release all of the side drawers so that they may be selectively slid forwards into their open position.

Another object of the invention is to providealocking mechanism of the last mentioned type and character in which the means for controlling the vertically slidable lock bars so that they are shifted automatically into their side drawer releasing position when the lock for the main drawer is shifted into its unlocked position and are 'automatically shifted into their side drawer locking position when the lock for the main drawer is shifted into its locked position comprises a pair of oppositely disposed centrally fulcrumed levers which are located at the fr ont portion of the desk with which the mechanism is .associated and are arranged so that their outer ends overlie the upper ends of the vertically slidable lock bars and e ICC their inner ends overlie the lock bolt of the lock on the main drawer when the latter is in its closed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a desk drawer locking mechanism which is generally of new and improved construction, effectively and efficiently fulfills its intended purpose and is capable of being produced at a comparatively low cost.

Other objects' of the invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present desk drawer locking mechanism will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth andare more particularly defined by the claim at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification or disclosure and in which like nu'- merals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of a conventional desk having applied thereto a drawer locking mechanism embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the right hand centrally fulcrumed lever of the locking mechanism in the position which it assumes when the lock on the elevated centrally disposed main drawer of the desk is in its unlocked position;

Figure 3 is a similar fragmentary section showing the right hand lever in the position which it assumes when the lock of the main drawer is in its locked position;

Figure 4 is' an enlarged vertical transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure l and illustrating the manner in which the inner ends of the opposed centrally fulcrumed levers overlie the bolt of the lock on the main drawer when such drawer is in its closed position;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3, and illustrating in detail the construction and design of one of the coacting latch means between the right hand vertically slidable lock bar and one of the right hand side drawers of the desk; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective of part of the coacting latch means of Figure 5.

The locking mechanism which is shown in the drawing constitutes the preferred form or embodiment of the invention is associated with, and forms a part of, a desk. The latter is conventional so far as design and construction are concerned and comprises a top 7, a pair of inner side walls 8, a pair of outer side walls ,9, and a pair ofl bottom walls 10. The top 7 is supported in an elevated position by the side walls 8 and 9 and may be used for'writing and other purposes as well understood in the art. The inner side walls 3 have the upper ends thereof suitably connected to the top and are spaced an appreciable distance apart in order to form leg room under the central portion of the top. They extend vertically and are positioned transversely of the top. The outer side walls 9 are disposed outwards of, and in parallel relation with, the inner side walls 8 and have the upper ends thereof suitably connected to the end portions of the top. The bottom walls 10 of the desk extend across, and are suitably secured to, the lower ends of the inner and outer side walls and have depending feet 11. The spaces between the inner and outer side walls 8 and 9 have horizontally extending partitions 12 disposedv therein. Such partitions are vertically spaced apart and define with the outer and inner side walls 8 and 9, the bottom wall 10 and theend portions of the top 7 open front compartments 13 for side drawers 14. The latter are mounted in the compartments so that they are capable of sliding outwards into an open position and inwards into a closed position. The inner sides of the side drawers 14 are spaced a small distance fromthe inner side walls 8, as

` front upper corners of the inner side walls 8.

shown in the drawing. The portion of the front margin of the top 7 of the desk that extends between the inner side walls 8 is provided with a depending narrow strip 15. The ends of such strip are suitably secured to the Directly beneath the strip is a main drawer 16 which is mounted on slide bars 17 so that it is capable of being slid outwards into an open position and rearwards into a closed position wherein its front is in coplanar relation with the strip 15, as shown in Figure 4. The slide bars 17 extend horizontally and abut against, and are suitably secured to, the upper portions of the inner side walls 8. The central portion of the front of the main drawer 16 is provided with a lock 18 which is suitably mounted in place and embodies a vertically slidable bolt 19 and a key 20. The lock is so constructed or designed that when the key is inserted into the usual key slot and turned in one direction it slides the bolt 19 upwards into a locked position wherein it laps the inner central portion of the inner side surface of the strip 15 and thus secures the main drawer 16 in its closed position. The lock is also constructed that when the key is turned in the opposite direction it slides the bolt downwards into an unlocked position wherein it is out of engagement with the strip 1S and permits the main drawer to be slid forwards into its open position.

The locking mechanism serves as a medium for releasably locking all of the side drawers 13 in their closed position when the main drawer 16 is in its closed position and the bolt 19 of the lock 18 is in its up or locked position. It comprises a pair of vertically extending lock bars 21 and a pair of substantially horizontal centrally fulcrumed levers Z2. The lock bars 21 are suitably mounted for vertical sliding movement between the inner side walls 8 of the desk and the inner sides of the side drawers 14 and are provided on their outer side surfaces with angle bracket type latches 23. The latter consist of vertically extending parts 24 and horizontally exin the central portions of the vertically extending parts 24 and into the lock bars. The horizontally extending parts 25 of the latches 23 are connected to, and extend outwards from, the upper ends of the vertically extending parts 24 and are positioned adjacent the upper front corners of the sides of the side drawers 14. Such corners of the inner sides of the side drawers are provided with notches 28 which are adapted to receive and become interlocked with the horizontally extending parts 25 when the lock bars 21 are slid downwards. The front inner corners of the horizontally extending partitions 12 have notches 29 for receiving the horizontally extending parts 25 of the latches 23 when the lock bars 21 are slid upwards. When the locks bars are slid downwards so as to cause the horizontally extending parts 25 to become interlocked with the notches 28 in the upper front corners of the inner sides of the side drawers 14 they assume a side drawer locking position wherein the side drawers are held securely in their closed position. When the lock bars 21 are shifted upwards so as to withdraw the horizontally extending parts 25 of the latches 23 from 1 the notches 28 they assume a side drawer releasing position wherein the side drawers are free so that they may be selectively slid forwards into their open position. The lock bars 21 are urged upwards into their side drawer releasing position by way of a pair of upstanding spiral tension springs 30 which, as shown in Figure l of the drawing, are disposed in the lower portions of the spaces between the inner side walls 8 and the inner sides of the side drawers 12. The upper ends of the springs are anchored to a pair of lixed horizontally extending pins 31 on the front lower corners of the inner side walls 8 ly fulfills its intended purpose.

and the lower ends of the springs are connected to a pair of xed horizontally extending pins 32 on the lower ends of the lock bars. The levers 22 of the locking mechanism are for the most part disposed directly behind, and are in sliding engagement with, the inner side surface of the horizontally extending strip 1S between the upper front corners of the inner side walls 8 of the desk. They are positioned on opposite sides of the lock 18 when the main drawer 16 is in its closed position and are preferably in the form of channel bars of aluminum or other light weight metal. Horizontally extending screws 33 extend through the central portions of the web parts of the levers and into the strip 15 and serve as the fulcrums for the levers. The outer ends of the 1evers extend through notches 34 in the upper front corners of the inner side walls 8 of the desk and rest slidably on the upper ends of the lock bars 21. The inner ends of the levers are positioned directly opposite one another and directly overlie the bolt 19 of the lock 1S when the main drawer 16 is in its closed position (see Figure 4). When the lock bars 21 are in their up or side drawer releasing position the central fulcrumed levers 22 are tilted so that their outer ends extend slightly upwards and their inner ends extend slightly downwards, as shown in Figures l and 2. In such position the inner ends of the levers are disposed directly over the upper end of the bolt 19 of the lock 18. When the bolt of the lock is, by proper manipulation of the key 20, slid upwards into its locked position while the main drawer 16 is in its closed position it tilts the right hand lever in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1 and the left hand lever in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in the same figure and thus causes the levers to slide the lock bars 21 downwards into their aforementioned side drawer locking position. When, however, the bolt of the lock is retracted into its unlocked position so as to free the main drawer for shift into its open position the lock bars 21 are slid upwards by the springs 30 into their side drawer releasing position. Such upward sliding movement on the part of the lock bars operates reversely to tilt the central fulcr'urned levers 22. When in connection with use of the desk it is desired to lock all of the drawers, the drawers are slid inwards into their closed position and then the key 20 is inserted into the lock 18 and turned so as to shift the bolt 19 upwards into its locked position. In connection with upward sliding movement of the bolt of the lock the levers 22 are tilted so that the outer ends thereof swing downwards and cause the lock bars 21 to slide downwards into their side drawer locking position. When it is desired to release the side drawers so that they may be selectively opened it is only necessary by proper manipulation of the key 8 to slide the bolt 19 downwards into its unlocked position. Such sliding movement on the part of the bolt releases the inner ends of the levers so as to permit the spirial tension springs 30 to slide the lock bars 21 upwards into their side drawer releasing position.

The herein described desk drawer locking mechanism is essentially simple in design and etectively and eicient- It is capable of being produced at a comparatively low cost and automatically effects release of the side drawers of the desk merely by unlocking the lock for the elevated centrally disposed main drawer 16.

- Whereas the locking mechanism has been described as comprisingtwo` lock bars and two centrally fulcrumed levers it is to be understood that it may consist of but one lock bar and one lever when it is used in connection with a desk having a main drawer and a series of side drawers at one side only of the main drawer. It is also to be understood that the invention is not to be restricted -to the details set forth since these may be modied within the scope of the appended claim without departing from `the spirit and scope of theinvention. g

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In combination with a desk of the type that embodies an elevated top with a horizontal depending strip along a portion of its front margin, a horizontally slidable main drawer positioned directly beneath the strip and provided on the front thereof with a key operable bolt-equipped lock adapted to lock the main drawer in its closed position and arranged so that the bolt thereof is movable in response to manipulation of the key upwards and downwards into and out of a locked position wherein it is in lapped relation with the inner side surface of the strip, and a vertical series of horizontally slidable side drawers positioned at one side of the main drawer, a locking mechanism adapted releasably to lock all of the side drawers in their closed position and comprising a vertical lock bar mounted for vertical sliding movement adjacent the front portions of the inner sides of the side drawers when the latter are in their closed position, hav ing coacting latch means between it and the side drawers, and operative when slid downwards to bring the latch means into latched relation and etect locking of the side drawers and when slid upwards to bring the latch means out of latched relation and effect release of said side drawers, and means operative to control the lock bar so that it is automatically slid downwards when the bolt of the lock for the main drawer is manipulated by the key into its locked position while the main .drawer as in its closed position and is automatically slid upwards When the bolt of said lock is manipulated by the key out of its said locked position while the main drawer is in its closed position, said last mentioned means embodying a spring for urging the lock bar upwards, and a substantially horizontal lever positioned for the most part directly behind and in sliding engagement with said inner side surface of the strip and having `its central portion mounted on a lixed horizontal pivot member on said strip so that it is free to tilt in a vertical plane, said lever being straight from end to end and having one end thereof overlying and slidably engaging the upper end of the lock bar and its other end arranged so that it overlies, and is engageable with, the upper end of the bolt of the lock when the main drawer is in its said closed position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 970,933 Leese Sept. 20, 1910 996,934 Leohler July 4, 1911 1,943,099 Tobey Jan. 9, 1934 2,225,243 Zottel Dec. 17, 1940 

